Author Love #23: David Levithan

 Author Love is a meme we came up with. There are so many authors and books out there that we love so much and want the world to know about. If you want to play along all you have to do is pick one of your favorite authors. Write what you like about them and/or their books. You can also include an author bio and synopsis of their book if you want.

My pick for this week is David Levithan.
About the author: David Levithan (born 1972) is an American children's book editor and award-winning author. He published his first YA book, Boy Meets Boy, in 2003. Levithan is also the founding editor of PUSH, a Young Adult imprint of Scholastic Press.


I've become such a fan of this author. I've read three of this books and loved each of them! I had the chance to meet him at TLA 2013! I was brave enough to tap him on the shoulder in the exhibit hall and ask him to sign my book! He was pretty surprised we knew who he was! I can't wait to read more from him! If you haven't read any of his books, I suggest starting with Every Day because that is my favorite :)

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Harper Teen
Source: Bought
Stand Alone
Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.
So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.
She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.



Review
I think this could have been 300 pages longer and I would have been very happy. Guys! This book was flipping fantastic. It was quite the page turner.

This tells the story of Caymen. She doesn't live the fanciest life. When a handsomely rich boy named Xander wanders into her job, he sparks her curiosity. As they become fast friends. Caymen discovers some things about her past and her future.

I absolutely adored Caymen. Her personality was fabulous. I loved her snarky humor. I loved how true to herself she was. I loved how careful she was with Xander. Can I steal Xander? That boy was drop dead amazing. I loved how sweet he was. I loved how he didn't think less of Caymen even though he was rolling in it. He was pure perfection. Caymen and Xander's relationship was too cute for words. I loved that they took their time.

This has a very unique storyline. It was very relatable. It had an amazing set of characters. I loved it so much. I couldn't put it down. It was very heartwarming. I can't think of a single thing I didn't enjoy. I've become such a fan of this author. If your in the mood for some adorable contemporary, this one is for you!

Waiting on Wednesday: Nantucket Red by Leila Howland

****"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill at the Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.****

My pick this week is:

Nantucket Red by Leila Howland

Expected publication: May 13th 2014 by Disney-Hyperion

Cricket Thompson's lifetime of overachieving has paid off: she's headed to Brown University in the fall, with a spot on the lacrosse team and a scholarship that covers almost everything. Who knew living in the dorm cost money? An Ivy League education seems to mean living at home for the next four years.
When Cricket is offered the chance to earn enough cash to afford a real college experience, she heads back to Nantucket for the summer. But the faraway island challenges Cricket in ways she hadn't anticipated. It's hard to focus on earning money for next year, when she finds her world opening up in entirely new ways-to art, to travel, and, most unexpectedly, to a future completely different from the one she has been working toward her whole life. A friendship blossoms with Ben, the gorgeous surfer and bartender who encourages Cricket to be free, even as she smarts at the pain of seeing Zack, her first love, falling for her worst enemy.
But one night, when Cricket finally lets herself break all her own rules, she realizes she may have ruined her carefully constructed future with one impulsive decision. Cricket must dig deep to fight for her future, discovering that success isn't just about reaching goals, but also about listening to what she's been trying to ignore-her own heart.

I loved Nantucket Blue. It was a super fun summer read. I actually didn't know there was going to be a second one until recently. I'm super excited about this pretty. That cover is absolutely beautiful. And, the story sounds great!

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday (46)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

This weeks topic is Top Ten Character I'd NEVER want to switch places with. Part of this isn't true because being a part of these amazing worlds would be great but more than a little scary at the same time!

1. Clary from The Mortal Instruments. Can you imagine being a part of the Mortal Instruments?! 
2. Tris from Divergent. I would actually love to switch places with Tris. Being a part of the Dauntless faction sounds incredible.
3. Lena from Beautiful Creatures. Lena has all the pressure on her at all times of the day.
4. Hazel from The Fault in Our Stars. This one is reason enough on its own. 
5. Juliette from Shatter Me. Imagine not being able to touch anyone.
6. Jasper from I Hunt Killers. I don't think being the son of a murderer sounds very fun.
7. A from Every Day. Waking up in a new body every day probably doesn't have very many perks.

That's all I could think of! What would you guys pick? Let me know in the comments <3 div="">

Ashes on the Waves by Mary Lindsey Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Penguin
Source: Conference
Stand Alone
Liam MacGregor is cursed. Haunted by the wails of fantastical Bean Sidhes and labeled a demon by the villagers of Dòchas, Liam has accepted that things will never get better for him—until a wealthy heiress named Annabel Leighton arrives on the island and Liam’s fate is changed forever.
With Anna, Liam finally finds the happiness he has always been denied; but, the violent, mythical Otherworlders, who inhabit the island and the sea around it, have other plans. They make awager on the couple’s love, testing its strength through a series of cruel obstacles. But the tragedies draw Liam and Anna even closer. Frustrated, the creatures put the couple through one last trial—and this time it’s not only their love that’s in danger of being destroyed.
Based on Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling poem, "Annabel Lee," Mary Lindsey creates a frighteningly beautiful gothic novel that glorifies the power of true love.

Review 
Why did I wait so long to read this? Seriously guys. It was so amazing. I could reread this probably 100 times and not get tired of it.

This tells the story of Liam and Anna. Liam is cursed and hated on the island. He's never been truly happy. Anna arrives on the island and changes everything. As they grow closer their relationship is put to the ultimate test.

Anna and Liam were drop dead amazing characters. I loved Liam's innocence. He was such a sweetheart. Boy did he have a way with words. I loved how complex he was. Anna was also quite complex. She definitely had two sides to her. I loved her strength. I loved seeing her change throughout the story. Liam and Anna had honestly the cutest relationship ever. It was unique. They took their time. They never stopped growing closer. It was perfect.

I've never read Edgar Allen Poe. I thought this had the most unique concept. It was dark but not too dark. It had plenty of interesting aspects. The setting was pretty great. I couldn't stop reading. I also couldn't see any of those twists coming. The ending left me in tears and having a mini freak out. It was a perfect ending but it really hurt my heart. Overall this was an amazing read. I was incredibly impressed. I can't wait to read more from this author!

Author Love #22: Marissa Meyer

 Author Love is a meme we came up with. There are so many authors and books out there that we love so much and want the world to know about. If you want to play along all you have to do is pick one of your favorite authors. Write what you like about them and/or their books. You can also include an author bio and synopsis of their book if you want.

My pick this week is: Marissa Meyer

About the author: Marissa Meyer lives in Tacoma, Washington, with her husband and three cats. She's a fan of most things geeky (Sailor Moon, Firefly, color-coordinating her bookshelf...), and has been in love with fairy tales since she was a kid, which she doesn't intend to ever grow out of.


If you didn't already know, Marissa Meyer is the author of the Lunar Chronicles series. All the amazing things you've hear about it are true. Other than being a great writer, she's a pretty great person, too. She's very active on the internet and always touring. I've actually met her three times and she's always so nice. On top of all that she's a huge nerd, which gives her major bonus points.

Oh, and she also has a pretty cool name :). Actually, the first time I met her I had lost my post it note so I started spelling my name to her and she didn't look at me like I was crazy when she pointed out that I was telling her how to spell her own name. She hasn't looked at me like I'm crazy or a stalker the many times I've met her since then. Hopefully, I can meet her again soon!

Any other nice things to about this weeks author? Or maybe some fangirling about Cress coming out soon? Put it down in the comments!  

Waiting on Wednesday: Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater

****"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill at the Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.****

My pick this week is:



Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater
Expected release date: July 1st, 2014
from Scholastic Press
A standalone companion book to the internationally bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?

The Wolves of Mercy Falls is one of my favorite series of all time so of course I'm dying to read this. I loved Cole and Isabel and knew that their story wasn't over and I can't wait to see how it continues.


What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Top Ten Tuesday (45)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

This weeks topic is Top Ten Things On My Reading Wishlist. I haven't thought much about this, but once I did I quickly came up with some. Authors pay attention! Just kidding :)

1. Less death scares-This happens a lot in last books in a series. You'll think a character (usually the love interest) is dead only for them to come back a little bit later. Why play with my emotions like that? I never really think that they're dead, but I still cry and I'm tired of it.
2. Less bad boys/more good boys-Don't get me wrong, I love me a bad boy with a secret heart of gold, but it's been done so many times. Sometimes I like to see a nice, sweet boy who treats people right. Or maybe some more bad girls? Shake things up a bit?
3. More historical fiction-Maybe I just haven't read much of it, but whenever I do I absolutely love it. I love reading about the past. Maybe some we haven't seen before.
4. More realistic contemporary-After reading (and loving) Eleanor and Park and Katie McGarry's books I've really wanted to read more books about teenagers in awful situations. It sounds bad, but it messes with my feels. They usually get out of them.
5. More forbidden romances-There isn't really a shortage of them, but what can I say? I'm a sucker for characters who want to be together, but can't.
6. Less memory loss-It hasn't been as popular lately, but after seeing it again I remembered how much I hate it. A character losing their memory is almost as bad as them dying. It hurts my heart.
7. Less sucky sequels-I've read some pretty great ones lately, but there's nothing worse than reading an amazing book and then not loving the sequel it as much.
8. More time travel-I've only read a few time travel books, but I really loved them. The genre has so much potential.

There's my top ten. Do you agree with any? Disagree? Any books that fit what I want that you think I should read? Let me know in the comments!

A Broken Fate by Cat Mann Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Self Published
Source: Author
Second book in the Beautiful Fate Series
*This was gifted to me by author for review*
oping with the traumatic experiences Ava endured with the Kakos is more challenging than she ever imagined it to be. She finds herself struggling to remember the details of her time kept away with Damien Kakos and when the memories assault her mind, she is plagued with crippling fear. There is something in the back of Ava’s thoughts screaming at her, telling her that the fight with the devil’s brood has not yet ended.
Newly married, Ava and Ari deal with issues involving trust, honesty and faith in one another and as they plot their course for a new life together, they discover that their individual wants and needs don’t exactly match. Ari’s promises to Ava begin to break. Some of the Alexander’s family secrets are revealed and Ava realizes that she needs to keep her friends close, and her enemies even closer.
A Broken Fate, the second novel in The Beautiful Fate Series, dives further into Ava and Ari’s nail-bitter of a story and adds even more suspense, mystery, romance and thrills. This series is impossible for any reader to resist.

Review
I wasn't sure what yo expect from this story. It was a great sequel. I didn't love it as much as the first book but it was still very impressive.

This continues Ava's story. She is trying to cope with what happened to her. As her and Ari get used to married life, they deal with some trust issues.

I had some mixed feelings with Ava. For about the first half she was incredibly annoying. I liked that she tried to be strong and not hurt others with what happened to her. But it tried on my patience just a little. Once she let things out, her character became so much better. Ari was as fabulous as ever. I really don't know how he put up with Ava at times. He's the best! I loved getting to see his family again. They make great secondary characters.

At times this story almost felt like a contemporary. The story took some time to get going. It was a little on and off. I didn't see the main twist coming but I predicted some of the others. I have to say it! There was an awful lot of sexy times. It was a little much at times. I love cuteness and this story was adorable. But those sexy times made it not so YA. Overall this was a pretty great sequel. I'm super excited for the next book!

Series Love #23: The Eve Trilogy

Series Love is a meme we came up with. There are so many amazing book series out there. We love to share the love and help spread the word. If you want to play along all you have to do is pick a series. It doesn’t matter if it only has one book or a million, as long as you include the authors name and the covers of the books

This week I am happily loving on The Eve Series by Anna Carey!





I recently finished this series. Rise has been out for quite some time. I never got around to reading it. I decided to reread the whole series. This series couldn't have ended better. The charcaters have my heart. The concept is super original. Plus look at how pretty those covers are. I mean come on guys what else do we need! I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read this series.

If you've read this series let me know your thoughts. If you haven't you should check it out! 

A Beautiful Fate by Cat Mann Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Self Published
Source: Author
First book in the Beautiful Fate series
*This was gifted to me by author for review*
Obsessive and driven by nightmares, Ava Baio is uprooted from her Chicago home after the untimely and tragic death of her loving mother. Alone for the first time in her life, at a new school in a new town, Ava finds herself sorting through unfamiliar and unsettling feelings with a secretive yet beautiful boy, Ari. After an unconventional start to their relationship, Ava becomes intensely absorbed by her love for Ari, and with his help and the help of his family, she discovers who she really is – a Fate descended from Atropos. She learns that the Greek mythology she grew up reading is not truly a myth after all and that she is the key in an ancient war- the only weapon her new family has to survive.
Will she be able to separate her heart from her destiny? Is she willing to kill to protect those she loves?

Review
This story really impressed me. I read it in one day and loved it to pieces!

This tells the story of Ava. After a tragic death she is forced to move into a boarding school and start over. What she doesn't know is she has the power of fate in her hands. While she discovers her past, 6 men are out to get her. 

I really enjoyed Ava. I liked her personality. I loved how she stood up for herself. The farther into the story I got, the stronger she had become. I loved that she stuck to her morals and was careful with Ari. I also loved how much she cared for her friends and her new family. I absolutely adored Ari. I loved how open he was about his feelings for Ava. I loved how caring he was. I loved how important his family was to him. Ari's family made an amazing addition to the story. It was one of my favorite parts. 

This has a very unique storyline. It was very fast paced and action packed but only in some parts. It focused a lot on the characters and I really liked that. I never got bored. I didn't see any of the twists coming. I couldn't stop reading even when I tried. Overall I enjoyed this story so very much. It was very well done! 

Waiting on Wednesday: Rebel by Amy Tintera

****"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill at the Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.****

My pick this week is:

Rebel by Amy Tintera

Expected publication: May 13th 2014 by HarperTeen

After coming back from death as Reboots and being trained by HARC as soldiers, Wren and Callum have finally escaped north, where they hope to find a life of freedom. But when they arrive at the Reboot Reservation, it isn't what they expected. Under the rule of a bloodthirsty leader, Micah, the Reboots are about to wage an all-out war on the humans. Although Wren's instincts are telling her to set off into the wilderness on their own and leave the battle far behind, Callum is unwilling to let his human family be murdered. When Micah commits the ultimate betrayal, the choice is made for them. But Micah has also made a fatal mistake . . . he's underestimated Wren and Callum.
The explosive finale to the Reboot duology is full of riveting action and steamy love scenes as Wren and Callum become rebels against their own kind.

Reboot was seriously such an amazing read! It was so original and exciting. I know this is the final book in the series so I cannot wait to see how things turn out. If you guys aren't waiting on this pretty, you should be! 

Top Ten Tuesday (44)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

This weeks topic is Top Ten 2014 Debuts I'm excited for.

1. The Murder Complex by Lindsey Cummings. 
2. Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy.
3. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge.
4. The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine.
5. Tracked by Jenny Martin. 
6. Nil by Lynn Matson.
7. Open Road Summer by Emery Lord.

That's it for me. This was a harder topic. I only had a couple so I had to do some hunting! You guys keep an eye out for all these pretties! Let me know what you guys would pick in the comments.

Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Source: Bought
First book in the Sky Fall series
Vane Weston should have died in the category-five tornado that killed his parents. Instead, he woke up in a pile of rubble with no memories of his past - except one: a beautiful, dark-haired girl standing in the winds. She swept through his dreams ever since, and he clings to the hope that she's real.
Audra is real, but she isn't human. She's a sylph, an air elemental who can walk on the wind, translate its alluring songs, even twist it into a weapon. She's also a guardian - Vane's guardian - and has sworn an oath to protect him at all costs.
When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both their families, Audra has just days to help Vane unlock his memories. And as the storm winds gather, Audra and Vane start to realize that the greatest danger might not be the warriors coming to destroy them, but the forbidden romance growing between them.

Review 
I have wanted to read this book forever. There was something about it that called to me. This was an absolutely amazing story. I wasn't disappointed at all! 

This tells the story of Vane and Audra. Vane doesn't know who he is but he's about to find out. Someone is tearing the world up looking for him. Audra is Vane's guardian. She must remind him of who he is before it's too late. 

Vane and Audra both took some getting used too. They both have very strong personalities. Once I got used to them, I adored them both. They were very unique. Vane was snarky and adorable. I loved seeing him put things aside for Audra. I loved how hard he worked. Everything was completely new to him but he never gave up. Audra was also quite snarky and very complex. I loved how determined she was. I also loved that she kept herself in check even when she didn't want too. 

This story was the biggest waiting game. But I loved it. I had no idea what was going to happen next. All the wind aspects were so cool! This story has such a unique concept. I couldn't put it down. I read it in one sitting. It was perfect. If you haven't read this story yet, I highly recommend. 

December Monthly Wrap Up

Hey guys! I can't believe it's 2014! Happy New Year to you all. Here is our reading plans for this month. Let us know what you guys plan on reading in the comments <3 font="">

Marissa's Wrap Up

Jasmine's Wrap Up

Series Love #22: The Hush Hush Saga

Series Love is a meme we came up with. There are so many amazing book series out there. We love to share the love and help spread the word. If you want to play along all you have to do is pick a series. It doesn’t matter if it only has one book or a million, as long as you include the authors name and the covers of the books.

In case you didn't know we've decided to start doing our meme's Series Love and Author Love again. It's been nearly a year since we've done them last so we'll have plenty of new material to gush about. But don't be surprised when some of the old favorites pop up again :)


My pick this week is:

I've been reading this series for a while. It was one of the series I read when I was first really getting into reading. It's still one of my favorites. I actually just read Finale last month so all the emotions are fresh. Becca Fitzpatrick does such a good job putting twists in the fallen angel lore and it's so interesting to read about. While the main character annoyed me at times and the series could have done without Crescendo, I still love it. It has such interesting characters and one of my favorite bad boys turned good, Patch Cipriano. Plus that there's plenty kissing, and it's all wrapped up with beautiful covers. If you want an fun series that you won't be able to put down, this is it. Also did I already mention Patch? Because he should definitely be mentioned.

If you've read this series let me know what you thought of it in the comments. Even if you haven't a comment is still greatly appreciated! See y'all next time :) 



Waiting on Wednesday: Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

****"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill at the Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.****

My pick this week is:

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
Expected release date: January 14th, 2014
from Quirk Books


In 1940 after the first book ends, Jacob and his new Welsh island friends flee to London, the Peculiar capital of the world. Caul, a dangerous madman, is Miss Peregrine’s brother, and can steal Peculiar abilities for himself. The Peculiars must fight for survival, again.

I read Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children late last year and I really loved it. It ended with very open ending, if not cliffhanger and I really want to know what happens. Plus I'm excited for more creepy pictures. I mean look at that cover.


What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Top Ten Tuesday (43)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

This weeks topic is Top Ten Bookish Resolutions for 2014. I did this last year and it's really good for staying on track. Here they are!

1. Get back on track with the blog-The horrible thing is, I said this last year. Other than blog tours, I haven't written a review all year. Jasmine has been amazing and on track, but I feel like I'm neglecting my baby. I'm going do something about it if it kills me.
2. Read more and stress less-I kinda fell short on my goal last year and I don't like feeling like I haven't read anything. But at the same time there's no reason to get caught up in reaching a goal and not enjoying myself.
3. Put a dent in my unread books-I seriously have stacks of books in my room I haven't read. I don't buy a lot of books, but when I do their shininess distracts me and the other books get pushed aside. I do want to read them so I need to put the books I've had for a long time on the to read stacks.
4. Diversity in blog posts-Writing reviews comes first, of course, but I do want to have different posts. More discussion posts and stuff like that. Any ideas?
5. Read more contemporary-Ever since I really got into reading, I lean more towards paranormal and fantasy. But last year I got into contemporary more and found some of my favorites. I have a ton I want to read so hopefully I fit them in.
6. Go to TLA14-I'm hoping to go to my third Texas Library Association annual conference in San Antonio this year. It's a ton of bookish fun, but I'll feel bad if go not having caught up with my reviews. We'll see in April!

So there they are. It kind of feels like a lot, but it shouldn't be too hard. Wish me luck, guys!

Let me know in the comments what your resolutions are and if you agree with any of mine.

P.S. Speaking of discussion post type things, I was thinking of doing a post about all the last books in a series that I read last year. I don't normally do reviews on them, but if y'all want to know what I thought I would love to write a wrap up kind of thing. Please let me know!